Where did the Real America go?

I listened to the radio again. This is bad- as it gets me annoyed and I talk to myself. Our formerly great nation is just becoming more and more pathetic. Of course I am listening to NPR. They were talking about the TSA.
In 1984 my brother and I flew into Frankfurt Germany on a backpacking trip through Europe. This was just after an Islamic bombing of a nightclub and security was tight. There was a serious looking soldier with a submachine gun by the metal detector and a couple screeners doing a very quick and effective job of searching every bag. I keep comparing that image to the morons I see at the TSA. Take your shoes off? What a joke! The shoe bomb didn't work and it is a little too late to be worried about it now. The guy made it on the plane already! So, now they are looking for a wiener bomb-too late, they already tried that and IT DIDN'T WORK!
What got me going was (as you may have noticed) The TSA (See what Frank James has to say) and their scanners were discussed on NPR. (Click Here) Our invasive screening procedures are even annoying the Brits. (Click Here)
So you have a choice between an invasive pat down and dangerous radiation, plus a rent-a-cop looking at you naked.
In the mean time has the TSA actually stopped any real terrorists? Oh, I've seen the photos of piles of pocket knives and buckets of shampoo. And I've heard the story of them taking away someone's brick. But those are not weapons. (I don't know why someone took a brick on the plane but I really don't see why you couldn't. What are you going to do with it? Tie a threatening note on it and throw it at the cockpit door?) Now if a middle eastern guy in a coyote tried to take an anvil or a piano on the plane I would be worried. Of course you know the TSA would let him through.
I think the whole taking off your shoes and invasive searches are pointless and part of a plan to 1. Make people think the government is doing something (which it isn't) 2. Make the rent-a-cops feel important, 3. Give an image of power, 4. Some stupid phychological warfare scheme by the US Government-make us get used to submission. 5. Really looking for people smuggling drugs or money. 6. Making the former head of the TSA or Homeland Security (another agency to disband) a lot of money from their ownership of the naked body scanner company.
There is no way you can strap enough explosives to your wiener to blow up a plane-and not be so obvious your fellow passengers will notice. Even if  you are from a race reportedly to be exceptionally well blessed in that department. As we saw with the "underpants" bomber.
Of course that is probably the key to security on an airline. If you try to light the fuse sticking out of your coo-coo your fellow passengers will wrestle you to the ground and beat the crap out of you. (really!)
For further reading try, Conditioning Americans to Accept the Unacceptable from The Classic Liberal. There are several other interesting articles on the sight also. Try this commentary, "Probable Cause is You Bought A ticket."
Or Frankwjamesblogspot- TSA Behind the Power Curve
Remember if you are flying on Thanksgiving support National Opt Out day. Make them search you by hand! 
Of course in the old days when America was a real country no one wanted to blow us up! I can remember when pulling out a blue passport got you though security in a hurry and made you friends on a train, even if you couldn't understand a word they were saying.
And now I'm going to work...